Bearing



Se t. 26, 1933. H. E. MUCHNIC BEARING Filed Aug. 9, 1926 k k m s ggg ZZ/mass.

Patented Sept. 26, 1933' UNITED 1 sTATss PATENT OFFICE ApplicationAugust 9, 1926. Serial No. 128,223

6 Claims.

It' will be understood by those skilled in, the

art that in a steam locomotive the driving wheel axles are supported forrotation in parallel frames provided with recesses which receive thedriving box in which the journal, that is, the brass, is secured, bypressing. Many attempts'have been made to reduce andeliminate thedistortion of the brass due to pounding, it being common practice toprovide a bearing brass which overlies the axle and which receivessubstantially all of the pressure of the locomotive frames on the axlesand these bearing brasses have in most instances and in practically allrailway practice today been made substantially semi-circular, that is,only the upper part of the bearing actually is a bearing. In this typeof driving box, the brass, owing to the elongitudinal thrust, tends tbecome pounded out, of shape In order to overcome the disadvantages ofthe present driving box I have provided a device hereinafter described,andits principal objects I and advantages reside in the provision shownof an improved type of driving .box including the bearing itself andassociated elements; the provision of an improved driving boxcharacterized by the embodiment therein of a substantially continuousbearing, that is, a bearing fbrass which completely encircles the axle;the provision of an improved driving box bearing in which the bearingmember is floating; that is,

revoluble in the box both relatively to and with lubricating means; andthe provision of a bearing of the character described which issubstantially continuous and whereby strains are thereby distributedthroughout the bearing member and the life of the bearing thereforeincreased.

In the prior art devices known to me, when repairing a locomotivedriving box, that is,:renewing the brass, it is necessary that thewheels and axle be dropped either into a pit or the whole locomotivehoisted off the wheels in order that the driving box may be removed'fromthe frame for receiving the new brass. In the present invention, Iprovide an arrangement whereby renewal of the brasses may be simplyaccomplished by jacking up the box against the tension of the springs,blocking the springs and allowing the box to be freely moved above theaxle so as to remove the worn brasses and replace the same with newbrasses, this feature being setforth hereinafter in detail.

This invention also is characterized by the provision of 'an improvedmethod of constructing the brasses employed whereby an accurate multiplebrass forming a substantially continuous bearing surface can be,provided. I

The foregoing and such other objects and advantages as may appear or bepointed out as this description proceeds are embodied in a structureillustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of the deviceof this inventiontaken on a plane transverse to the axis'of rotation, and V Figure 2 is avertical sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1 looking in thedirection indicated by the arrows.

Figure 3 is an enlarged perspective view of a detail.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing,'I provide a box member,generally designated 5, this boxmember being generally recs tangular incontour and provided at its lateral edges, with vertical channels 66which afford flanges between which the vertical lugs of the locomotiveframe are received whereby the box may vertically moveagainst the usualspring elements. The upper portion of the driving box is provided with achannel 7 in which the usual spring yoke, not shown, may be received.

The box 5 is provided at its medial portion with a transversesemi-cylindrical recess'9 forming a surface having the center 10 of thedriving axle 11 as its center of curvature. The surface 9 issubstantially semi-cylindrical and terminates at or adjacent the points121 2, the end portions of the box 5 being there formed with verticalside.

walls 13 and 14, which latter at their lower extremities terminate withflanges 15 and 16, the inner surfaces of said walls, that is, thesurfaces 16 and 17, respectively, being inclined toward the walls 13 and14, as best illustrated in Figure 1.

The curved surface 9 forms, with the inner surface of the wall 13,shoulders 18 and 19 for a purpose which will presently appear.

The lower part of the box, that is, the open bottom thereof, is closedby a cellar member gen-- erally designated 20 which, as will hereinafterappear, serves to form, with certain other elements, the lower retainingportion of the box 5. The cellar member is provided with a curved wall21 described about the same center as that of the wall 9 and formed onupwardly extending tionalized member 38 substantially completelyportions 22 and 23, the'upper end of the portion 22 resting against theshoulder 18, and the outer surface thereof'resting against the innersurface of the wall 13. In the case ofthe part 23, this is shaped toreceive the lateral extension 24 of a key member 25 which serves apurpose which will hereinafter appear, the upper edge, however, of theextension 23 resting upon the shoulder 19 with the exception of thedistance required to accommodate the key. An inspection; of Figure 2will show the key 25v as disposed approximately midway the length of thebearing.

The cellar member 20 is provided with inclined surfaces 26 and 27complemental to the surfaces 16 and 17, and gib keys 28 and 29 areinserted between these surfaces for snugly retaining the member 20 inposition. Additionally, the lower wall 30 of the member 20 is providedwith a plurality of lugs 31 arranged in pairs complemental to pairs oflugs 32 formed on the bottom flanges 15 and 15a of the walls 13 and 14,and these lugs are suitably apertured to receive transverse retainingbolts 34 provided with nuts 35.

The bearing proper of the present invention preferably includes thebearing member36 which latter is, as shown in Figure 1, made up of aplurality of sections forming a substantially complete annulus, thebearing member being termed a brass because it is usuallymade of brassand is divided, as indicated at 37, 3'7, into three sections, the jointsbeing substantially 120 apart. Any number of sections desired may beemployed but I have found that this construction facilitates renewalofthe bearing memberand at the same time does not provide an undesirablenumber of joints. The bearing member, though removable, of course snuglyengages the axle 11 sections so that no distortion or binding, can.

take place due to expansion when heated. By

' forming the bearing member 36 accurately to fit the axle at theoutside, it is not necessary for the bearing member to become worn inservice but the sections thereof fit the axle.

A steel liner in the form of a cylindrical secencircles the bushing orbearing member 36, said steel liner being formed preferably in twohalves divided as at 39 and having adjacent ends as at 40a engaging thekey 25. This key serves'to prevent rotation of the liner and facilitatesassembly of the bearing by retaining the upper part of the liner indesired position while the lower part thereof and the other parts of thebearing are applied.

The key 25, as will be seen from Figure 3, has a body portion and alaterally disposed portion 24 provided with an inclined surface 25awhich facilitates its introduction into position in the recess 24aafforded in the member 23, this key municate with openings 41-, 41leading from passageways 42, 42, said passageways being formed -in theupper portion of the box 5.

in the body of the yoke 5 and communicating with supply passageways 42aleading from the lubricant containing pockets 43 and 44 located in thecylindrical enlargements 45 and 46 formed From an inspection of Figure 2it will be seen that the passageways 42 extend substantially entirelyacross the top of the bearing and may communicate, by a plurality of theopenings 41 and 40, with the bearing member 36.

As best shown in Figure l, the lubricant pockets 43 and 44 are arrangedin relatively opposed relationship and as they are substantiallyidentical in construction, but one of the same will be described.Referring to the lubricant pocket 43, this latter is substantiallycylindrical and has a piston 48 slidable therein against the tension ofa helical spring 49, which latter is retained in position by a plug 50threading into the outer end of the lubricant pocket. The spring 49tends to force the lubricant out of the pockets 43 and 44 to the bearingsurface. A piston rod 51 guides the piston and as said piston rodprojects beyond the plug 50, it serves as a means to indicate thequantity of lubricant in said pocket. Lubricant is introduced into thepockets 43 and 44 through openings 52 and 53 provided with a suitablecheck valve coupling member 53 of any approved design whereby a greasegun may be applied for introducing the lubricant.

Again reverting to the bushing or brass 36, it will be observed that thelatter between its joints 37- is formed with a plurality of complementalports 37a which form passageways for the lubricant introduced betweenthe liner and the bushing to pass to the surface of the axle 11, I alsofinding it convenient and desirable to internally groove the surfaces ofthe sections of the bushing as indicated at 55 for hastening thedistribution of the lubricant throughout the bearing surface. As will beobserved from an inspection of the drawing, the openings or ports 37aare provided with enlarged outer portions or mouths 371) so that thelubricant finds easy access to these ports from the passageways 40 and41.

For ordinary lubrication of the bearing, the member 2.0 is provided witha cellar 56 communicating' by a central opening 5'7 to the opening 58 inthe-lower half of the liner 38, the cellar containingan additionallubricant which is conducted through the openings 57 and 58 through theliner to-the bearing bushing 36 and, as said bushing is rotated, theopenings 37a pick up the lubricant and conduct it to the axle.

It will be observed that the advantagesaccruing to this invention resideparticularly in the absence of any pound on the bearing due to unevensupporting of the axle andany displacement of the axle in the bearinglongitudinally of the locomotive being taken up by some part of thebushing member which is, of course, constantly changing.

Inassembling the device of this invention, the manner of assemblydepends, of course, on whether this is being done originally when thedevice is placed on the axles or whether it is done to an engine forrepair purposes. As one of the principal advantages of this inventionresides in the facility with which repairs can be made, it will bepointed out that assuming the device is in position on a locomotive, asshown, the 'gib. keys 281 and 29'and bolts 34 are first removed and thecellar member 20 allowed to drop locomotive springs, not shown, and ablock may then be placed between the springs and the top of thelocomotive frame, thereby taking the weight of that part of the engineoil the driving box whereupon it is freely movable relatively to theaxle and to the locomotive frame. The retaining ring 61 is then removedand the worn bushings, and, if necessary, the liners, removed along theaxle. New bushings and liners are then inserted in position, and thecellar member raised, gib keys inserted, and. the bolts 34 inserted andtightened. The key 25 is, of course, placed in its proper position toretain the liners against rotation. The springs will then again bejacked up and the retaining block removed, allowing the spring yoke toagain engage the upper part of the drivim box, and the engine is againready for service. It will be obvious that the advantages are in thisstructure over the prior art device wherein it is necessary to dropdriving wheels into a pit in order to remove the journal box forreplacing the brass. It will be understood, of course, that the liner 38is not absolutely essential but is employed to eliminate wear on thedriving box itself. In some installations it may be desirable toeliminate the liner and permit the bushing to rotate against the groovedsurface of the box and cellar member 20.

Having thus described my invention'and illustrated its use, what I claimas new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a bearing of the character described, in combination, a supportingmember having spaced arms extending beyond the axis of the bearing and aretaining transverse bolt carried thereby, said arms having internallyarranged shoulders, a revoluble bearing member arranged in saidsupporting member, a wheel having a hub portion abutting one end of saidbearing member, means for holding said bearing member in positionincluding an auxiliary bearing member provided with complementalshoulders and slidable in said arms and having a portion partiallyembracing said revoluble bearing member, a keeper plate on saidsupporting member abutting the end of said bearing opposite to saidwheel and permitting removal of the bearing member without completeseparation of said supporting and auxiliary bearing members, and saidauxiliary supporting member having apertured lugs projecting therefromand engaging said transverse retaining bolt.

2. In a bearing of the character described, in combination, a supportingmember having spaced arms extending beyond the axis of the bearing and aretaining means carried thereby, said arms having upwardly inclinedshoulders, a revoluble bearing member arranged in said supportingmember, means for holding said bearing member in position including anauxiliary supporting member.

slidable in said arms and partially embracing said bearing member, saidauxiliary supporting member having inclined shoulders complemental tothe first mentioned shoulders, means on said auxiliary member engagingsaid retaining means and maintaining said shoulders in spacedrelationship, a removable retaining annulus at one end of saidsupporting member, wear compensating means between said shoulders, andsaid revoluble bearing member abutting said annulus at one end andadapted to abut a wheel hub at the other end.

3. In a bearing of the character described, in combination with an axlehaving a wheel hub thereon, a supporting member having spaced armsextending beyond the axis of the bearing and embracing said axle and aretaining transverse bolt carried by said arms, said arms havinginternally arranged shoulders, a revoluble bearing member,

arranged in said supporting member abutting said wheel hub at one end,means for holding said bearing member in position including an auxiliarybearing member provided with complemental shoulders and slidable in saidarms and having a portion partially embracing said bearing member, wearcompensating means between said shoulders, said auxiliary supportingmember having apertured lugs projecting therefrom and engaging saidtransverse retaining bolt, and means detachably secured to saidsupporting and auxiliary bearing members and abutting one end-of saidrevoluble bearing member.

4. In a bearing, a substantially continuous bearing surface member, anda box therefor including separably connected sections, an auxiliaryliner encircling said bearing surface, means carried by one of saidsections and retained in position jointly by said sections for lockingsaid liner against rotation, and means jointly carried by the sectionsfor preventing endwise movement of said liner.

5. In a bearing of the character described, the combination of a journalbox having an arcuate surface in the upper part and open at bottom withside Wall portions depending beneath the journal receiving portion ofthe box, said side wall portions being offset from the arcuate surfaceso as to provide shoulders approximately at opposite sides of the centerline of the journal, the lower ends of said side wall portions havinginwardly disposed flanges; a cellar section adapted to fit between thedepending side walls and beneath said shoulders, the sides of the cellarsection being inset to receive said inwardly disposed flanges; thedepending sides and the cellar section having matching bolt receivingportions; a split liner within the box and cellar section, a splitbushing within the liner; and means whereby endwise movement of theliner is prevented.

6. In a bearing of the character described, the combination of a journalbox having an arcuate surface on its interior and open at the bottomwith side wall portions depending beneath the journal receiving portionof the box, said side wall portions being off-set from the arcuatesurface to provide shoulders approximately at opposite sides of thecenter line of the journal, the lower ends of the side wall portionshaving inwardly disposed flanges; a cellar section adapted to fitbetween the depending side walls and beneath said shoulders, the sidesof the cellar section being inset to receive said inwardly disposedflanges; the depending sides and the cellar section having matching boltreceiving portions; wedge keys between said flanges and the inset sidesof the cellar section; a split liner within the box and cellar section;a key insertable at the juncture of the split liner and cooperating withthe box-sides and the cellar section for locking the liner againstmovement; a split bushing within the liner; and means at the end of thebox whereby endwise movementof the bushing is prevented.

HENRY E. MUCHNIC.

